8 Most Common Inexpensive Windows for Energy Efficient Home

Window styles are important features for every home. They create a good focal point for your home and define the harmony on the exterior of your home. They reduce the costs of your energy bills, improve the airflow of your home, and enhance the look of your home. Selecting windows can be daunting sometimes. There are many styles and varieties to choose from. In this article, I list the 8 most common, inexpensive, and popular window styles for you to choose from.

Table of Contents

1. Awning Window
2. Casement Window
3. Skylight and Roof Window
4. Tilt and Turn Window
5. Picture Window
6. Double-Hung or Single-Hung Window
7. Sliding Window
8. Bay or Bow Window
9. Bottom Line

1. Awning Window

An awning window gives great ventilation to the room and is suitable in tropical climates where rain is a common occurrence. You can open it during rainy days to allow fresh air to enter the room while still protecting your room from the rain. It has a top hinged that lets you open it upwards. The crank mechanism makes awning windows easy to use and insulates well. It has a decent seal to reduce noise and air to get inside.

Awning windows are usually installed with other window styles, like picture windows. Picture windows are fixed and have no moveable parts to let airflow in. But, with awning windows installed on the side, top, or bottom—you can get airflow into the room. It is affordable and a great addition to your home.

2. Casement Window

Casement window is one of the most popular window styles. It is often installed in a room with high ceilings. The casement window is simple to use. The window either opens to the left or the right depending on the installation.

Unlike awning or single-hung windows, casement window has a simple design that creates unobstructed airflow. When you open the window, it brings a big airflow to the room. It is affordable and often offers a better sealant when closed.

Casement window is often installed in a room with high ceilings. You should be aware if your area has a strong wind, as it may damage the hinge of the window. It doesn’t age well and may be hard to open when it is old or rusty.

3. Skylight and Roof Window

Skylight and roof windows are commonly installed on angled roofs or in the center of a flat roof. If you plan to turn your attic or loft into a functional space like a bedroom or hobby room, you may want to look at the skylight and roof window. The attic and loft are positioned right below the roof and there may be less or no walls to install windows. Skylight and roof windows will save you because you install them on the roof instead of walls, which provides ventilation, and natural light.

Installing a skylight and roof window will provide you with a great number of natural lights. It is also beneficial in preventing the build-up of moisture in the room. The common mechanism is there is a hinge on top-hung or sides and you can open the window from the bottom, but only partially.

4. Tilt and Turn Window

The tilt and turn window, as you may call it European window, is getting hot nowadays. You will see a lot of tilt-and-turn windows in Europe. A tilt-and-turn window is versatile as it has two styles to open. You can tilt it inwards at the top and turn it to open inwards. It has a double or triple insulation seal that insulates and regulates room temperature well. According to Northshield Windows & Doors, a triple-panel window has a 20% to 30% increase in energy ratings compared to a double-panel window.

Tilt and turn windows are made with high European standards that are built to last. It is easier to clean as you can open it inwards. Pretty useful if you install it on an apartment or higher than the ground floor since you can clean the window from the inside.

5. Picture Window

A picture window creates a clear unobstructed view that will make the room feel connected to the outside, making the room feel more spacious. It is one of the reasons why it is popular making it an excellent choice for a living room facing the backyard or garden. If you plan to have a large window, a picture window is a great choice. Installing a large picture window will give you an abundant amount of sunlight into your house. It also suits well to install on walls that face your beautiful backyard.

It is a perfect window for a colder climate. There are no moving parts to lead cold draft making its way inside, making it great weatherproof. But with a downside, it doesn’t provide any airflow as they are fixed and you can’t open it like other window types. They are highly customized as it is made of one glass unit that you can order at any size you like. Depending on the size, picture windows are the cheapest window style you can get. It doesn’t have any open/close mechanism like double-hung windows do which reduces its manufacturing cost greatly.

6. Double-Hung or Single-Hung Windows

Double-hung or single-hung windows fit well with almost all home styles. They are one of the most popular windows. A double-hung window gives you more versatility as you can move both sashes to control airflow to your room. On the contrary, a single-hung window has only one moveable bottom sash that you can pull up to open. They are generally not large, if you like to have larger windows, then you should get picture windows or bay or bow windows.

Double-hung or single-hung windows are one of the cheapest windows to get that offers versatility. Double-hung windows have two moveable sashes compared to one moveable sash on single-hung windows. Having two moveable parts increases the production cost which makes double-hung windows pricier than single-hung windows. I think a single-hung window is a better choice than double-hung window. It is cheaper and looks cleaner. If airflow is what you are after, a casement window may be a better choice.

7. Sliding Window

While double-hung or single-hung windows open vertically, sliding windows open horizontally. I think that sliding windows are the easiest windows to use. It is simple to operate as you just need to slide it to the left or right to open and close. It feels like the smaller version of a picture window but more versatility. If you are on a budget but want a functional window that can open and close, a sliding window is a perfect choice. It is relatively cheaper than a casement window.

Even though it’s typically smaller than a picture window it has its advantage. For a smaller house, sliding windows are an excellent choice as they take less space and don’t extend outwards like bay or bow windows. It is a great window to choose if you have a small room and a short ceiling. Furthermore, it is a great choice for almost any bathroom style. A new sliding window rolls or glides smoothly to open or close, however when it gets damaged or something stuck on the rolls, it can get difficult to open or close.

8. Bay or Bow Windows

Bay or bow windows were popular window styles in the past but still appealing to today’s preferences. They protrude outwards the exterior of the wall which creates an additional half hexagonal floor space to the room. You can turn the additional floor space to be your new favorite place in the house. Add a couple of chairs and a coffee table, and it will be a great space for a morning breakfast or reading a book.

A bay or bow window typically has 3 windows, two on the sides and one on the front and middle. The front and middle part is often fixed and unmovable, while you can open the sides which often have casement or double-hung window styles. The sides allow more natural light inside the room and give a larger view angle to your surroundings.

Bottom Line

Choosing window styles will depend on your preference, budget, and usage. If budget and versatility are important, then casement windows and single-hung windows are both excellent choices. When you have a large room, large picture windows combined with awning windows are a great combination in giving you unobstructed vision while still having control for airflow.

On the contrary, sliding windows are a great choice if you have a small room. When you have an attic or loft that you want to use, installing a skylight or roof window is a must to get natural light and ventilation into the room. I hope that this article has helped you in choosing from the most common and popular window styles. But, the final choice of styles, colors, models, or designs should be for you to decide.